The Nutritional industries considered response to the latest negative media coverage relating to B Vitamins and their impact on heart disease reduction.

andywren77 on 10 22, 2009

The Nutritional industries considered response to the latest negative media coverage relating to B Vitamins and their impact on heart disease reduction.

Statement prepared by the Health Food Manufacturers’ Association (HFMA) /  6th October 2009

Following the latest Cochrane Scientific Review which reported that B-vitamins should not be recommended for the prevention of heart disease1, Patrick Holford, HFMA spokesperson and one of the UK’s leading experts in nutrition has commented on its findings: “The claim that B vitamins have no role in heart disease prevention is completely misleading. The primary reason for the review was to examine whether lowering homocysteine – a proven marker for both heart attacks and strokes – reduces risk. A lay person might reasonably assume that the people studied – 24,210 in all – had high homocysteine levels to begin with, and that they were given a cocktail of the B vitamins that are known most effectively lower homocysteine. Not so.

“Just five studies included in the review reported on homocysteine levels, and of those, the mean starting level of 12.4μmol/L could only be described as moderately elevated. But when you consider that the average Briton displays levels of between nine and 12, while those at elevated risk may have levels between 15 and over 100, it does call to question the validity of a review which fails to examine those with high homocysteine – the indicator for increased need for B vitamins. “Meanwhile, there is a large body of evidence linking B vitamins with reduced risk of mortality. In fact, a more recent study not included in the Cochrane Review found that giving B vitamins: ‘was associated with significantly lower all-cause mortality in patients with levels >15 μmol/L, but not in patients with lower levels’2.

 “Furthermore, the link is well established between B vitamins and other aspects of health, including the immune system, memory function and blood formation as well as its importance during pregnancy. “Simply speaking, this review has drawn some vastly premature conclusions. There is already a strong scientific basis to link B vitamin consumption with reduced risk in those with cardiovascular disease and raised homocysteine levels3,4. What is needed now is further study involving those without pre-existing heart conditions to see the extent to which B vitamins can prevent it in the first place.”